Record of the times vol. 5 no. 47

To the Democratic Citizens, Members of Assembly, Members of the Convention, and others, assembled at Harrisburg.
An old Federalist, who dearly loves his country and his whole country, her consti-tutional Union and her Democratic Republi-can institutions, deeply impressed with the critical state and portentous aspect of public affairs, most respectfully asks leave to ad-dress to you two or three considerations.
I would not risk the imputation of indeli-cacy in thus presuming, did I not believe that on your action may depend an honorable solution of the threatening difficulties that environ us, on one hand and on the other, but too probably, measures that will lead to civil war with all its countless horrors.
The war in Florida of thirty years dura-tion still exists. That fact is full of in-structive interest. The "Florida Peninsular" of the 30th January states that portions of Capt. Sparkman's, Capt. Serley's, Capt. Carter's, and Capt. Bullock's companies had just returned from a ten days' scout, "which resulted in the capture of one warrior—one squaw—one child !"
How easy to kindle a flame—how difficult to extinguish it!
Our army in Utah is in extreme distress. Col. Johnson's letter of December 12th, to his family, anxious to sooth and render them cheerful, would, by general expressions, make the impression that they were comfort-able, yet, on descending to particulars, the painful facts of present want and prospective suffering become apparent.
"I said," (thus speaks the hard-tried sol-dier) "we have abundance, but inasmuch as no one, from the Governor and civil officers to the private soldier, can obtain more than one ration, we have nothing to give in the way of hospitality, for if I invite my neigh-bor to dine, he would be no better off than if I he had staid at home, while I should be damaged by his eating my ration."
Again. "I do not think we could feed an EXTRA RAT from our mess."
Again. "Our Sibley tent you would pro-nounce a great comfort [the fire in the mid-dle] is open at the top, with a vane to pre-vent its smoking, which it does not quite do!"
Again. "We have no salt !"
So in the early part of the first winter month,
The army is on short allowance,
In smoky tents,
Without salt.
Twenty-five hundred persons thus half feeding, half starving, in a dreary and deso-late wilderness. A long, long winter before them. An armed, desperate, unprincipled enemy, full fed, strongly entrenched, every league a Thermopylae, their front. Are they not, fellow citizens, objects of deep commiseration? Instead of wasting our energies on the slightly important matter whether Kansas be admitted a State now or a year hence, would not patriotism, true national policy, and sheer justice to our suf-fering and imminently imperiled army, de-mand of the whole government and people i to unite their efforts in that great point—relief—relief to the army!
Every western breeze comes laden with tidings of Indian murders! The savage depredations extending more than a thou-sand miles.
The poor frontier settlers have no protec-tion. The twenty days' later news dating January 1st, from Col. Johnson—cheerful in general tone (what use for an officer to complain), yet do not state a single fact to relieve the gloomy picture!
Bearing with fortitude ills now inevitable, they doubtless sing Gen. Hamilton's favorite song:
"Why, soldiers, why!
Whose business 'tis to die,''
and looking out on the dreary waste, ex-claim: "O my government! O my coun-try! why hast thou placed us here to perish of hunger, or die by Mormon perfidy, or of miserable inactivity!"
To argue one point of Kansas policy was no part of my intention. With the excited state of the public mind here, at home,—in Congress, and in Kansas, I behold with un-dissembled fears, dangers of a third intestine war. All that I venture to ask is that you take counsel of your own good hearts, guid-ed by your distinctly noted ancient land-marks.
I have differed often and sharply from you on matters of policy—never, or rarely, on questions of principle. It is with pride I can say that of esteemed and cherished friends I have counted, and still count flat-tering numbers of the Democratic party. A word of prudence.
P. S. More and unexpected trouble with the Florida—interminable Indian war. Since the printer received this communi-cation. The following paragraph has come to hand.

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To the Democratic Citizens, Members of Assembly, Members of the Convention, and others, assembled at Harrisburg.
An old Federalist, who dearly loves his country and his whole country, her consti-tutional Union and her Democratic Republi-can institutions, deeply impressed with the critical state and portentous aspect of public affairs, most respectfully asks leave to ad-dress to you two or three considerations.
I would not risk the imputation of indeli-cacy in thus presuming, did I not believe that on your action may depend an honorable solution of the threatening difficulties that environ us, on one hand and on the other, but too probably, measures that will lead to civil war with all its countless horrors.
The war in Florida of thirty years dura-tion still exists. That fact is full of in-structive interest. The "Florida Peninsular" of the 30th January states that portions of Capt. Sparkman's, Capt. Serley's, Capt. Carter's, and Capt. Bullock's companies had just returned from a ten days' scout, "which resulted in the capture of one warrior—one squaw—one child !"
How easy to kindle a flame—how difficult to extinguish it!
Our army in Utah is in extreme distress. Col. Johnson's letter of December 12th, to his family, anxious to sooth and render them cheerful, would, by general expressions, make the impression that they were comfort-able, yet, on descending to particulars, the painful facts of present want and prospective suffering become apparent.
"I said," (thus speaks the hard-tried sol-dier) "we have abundance, but inasmuch as no one, from the Governor and civil officers to the private soldier, can obtain more than one ration, we have nothing to give in the way of hospitality, for if I invite my neigh-bor to dine, he would be no better off than if I he had staid at home, while I should be damaged by his eating my ration."
Again. "I do not think we could feed an EXTRA RAT from our mess."
Again. "Our Sibley tent you would pro-nounce a great comfort [the fire in the mid-dle] is open at the top, with a vane to pre-vent its smoking, which it does not quite do!"
Again. "We have no salt !"
So in the early part of the first winter month,
The army is on short allowance,
In smoky tents,
Without salt.
Twenty-five hundred persons thus half feeding, half starving, in a dreary and deso-late wilderness. A long, long winter before them. An armed, desperate, unprincipled enemy, full fed, strongly entrenched, every league a Thermopylae, their front. Are they not, fellow citizens, objects of deep commiseration? Instead of wasting our energies on the slightly important matter whether Kansas be admitted a State now or a year hence, would not patriotism, true national policy, and sheer justice to our suf-fering and imminently imperiled army, de-mand of the whole government and people i to unite their efforts in that great point—relief—relief to the army!
Every western breeze comes laden with tidings of Indian murders! The savage depredations extending more than a thou-sand miles.
The poor frontier settlers have no protec-tion. The twenty days' later news dating January 1st, from Col. Johnson—cheerful in general tone (what use for an officer to complain), yet do not state a single fact to relieve the gloomy picture!
Bearing with fortitude ills now inevitable, they doubtless sing Gen. Hamilton's favorite song:
"Why, soldiers, why!
Whose business 'tis to die,''
and looking out on the dreary waste, ex-claim: "O my government! O my coun-try! why hast thou placed us here to perish of hunger, or die by Mormon perfidy, or of miserable inactivity!"
To argue one point of Kansas policy was no part of my intention. With the excited state of the public mind here, at home,—in Congress, and in Kansas, I behold with un-dissembled fears, dangers of a third intestine war. All that I venture to ask is that you take counsel of your own good hearts, guid-ed by your distinctly noted ancient land-marks.
I have differed often and sharply from you on matters of policy—never, or rarely, on questions of principle. It is with pride I can say that of esteemed and cherished friends I have counted, and still count flat-tering numbers of the Democratic party. A word of prudence.
P. S. More and unexpected trouble with the Florida—interminable Indian war. Since the printer received this communi-cation. The following paragraph has come to hand.